BDnF, la fabrique à BD

The Concept

BDnF is an application for creating comics, graphic novels, storyboards and other forms of visual storytelling that combine images and text. The full version is available free of charge on desktop computers (Windows, macOS and Linux) and on iOS and Android tablets, with a simplified version for smartphones.

Discover the language of comics and create your own stories. The application brings heritage discovery and creative practice together, helping children learn the foundations of storytelling.

BDnF was designed to make the BnF’s heritage collections accessible through creation. It turns archival images into living comic-book pages for people of all ages.

Audience & Use

The application is designed for children and families as well as teachers looking for a ready-to-use educational tool. Its intuitive interface and library of thousands of digitised heritage images allow every user to compose their own comic-book pages.

An annual competition was created to encourage participation, attracting thousands of entries every year from schools, libraries and individuals across France.

My Role

As Production Director, I led the project from its initial concept through to its multiplatform release. I wrote the functional specifications, coordinated the development and design teams, managed the budget and staffing, and oversaw the editorial work with the BnF.

The project gave me the opportunity to build an ambitious tool at the intersection of code and editorial design.

Impact & Recognition

BDnF received the Ludovia Education Innovation Award and was selected for UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition. The application has exceeded 500,000 downloads across all platforms and reached number one in the Education category of the Mac App Store.